


Far Away, Long ago, Burning Dim as an Ember

by Creepyjacobisbad



Category: Anastasia - Fandom, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Anastasia AU, M/M, leia wants her brother so she can beat him for scaring her, luke just wants a home, padme and anakin die, sabine zeb and ezra are doing their own shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2020-06-25 23:31:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19755982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creepyjacobisbad/pseuds/Creepyjacobisbad
Summary: Things my heart used to knowThings it yearns to rememberBen has no last name, no family, and no memories to help him figure out what happened to both of those things. But, he does have a necklace with the words "to Alderaan' engraved on it, so that's where he's going to go.When a blue haired man with no concept of personal space offers him a ride there with his friends, and claims Ben is Luke Naberrie, well, he can't help but have doubts.But, then again, he'd do anything for a family.Who's he to say he doesn't have a rich, important one?Luke is Anya Ezra is Dmitri uwuAlso trust me when I say I wrestled hard with which twin I was going to focus on, but I figured this made the most sense? as Luke would never give up on finding his family, and in canon they did the Luke in a poor place Leia in a rich place thing.Yes I'm happy with my decision even though it puts me in rarepair hell, thanks for asking.





	1. Together in Alderaan

Naboo certainly knew how to party.

That’s what Luke thought, as he swung from alien to local, royalty to senators, friends to strangers.

Rarely was he allowed to attend these events for long; considering how late they went, and how quickly children tended to bore of the affairs, but this was an exception.

It was his tenth birthday, and he was relishing in the freedoms that allowed him.

Later bedtime, higher amount of sweets he could eat, he was even allowed a sip of the strong drink the adults enjoyed.

Course, it wasn’t only his birthday; it was his twins too, but it made him feel more special when he forgot that fact.

“Greetings, young Naberrie!” a tall alien, with stout limbs and a curved nose gave the small boy a soft pat on the head.

“Greetings, Senator Rossnam!” Luke grinned up at them, and lifted his own hand.

They chortled, and ducked their head.

Luke patted the smooth, leathery skin, and giggled.

“You feel so nice!” the blond exclaimed.

“Thank you, young Nabberie.” 

Luke knew he was supposed to stay and make conversation, but a tall tower of hair on a tiny figure caught his eye. 

“Oh, sorry! I have to go see my sister!” Luke dashed off without another word to the senator.

He weaved around partygoers, eyes fixed firmly on the girl.

Unfortunately, that meant he wasn’t paying attention when one of his double trains slipped under his foot. 

With a yelp, he careened towards the floor.

An arm tried to grab him, but he ended up pulling it down with him.

With an embarrassingly loud crash, they toppled to the ground 

“Stars, Prince, that hurt.” a person grumbled from on top of him.

Luke shook his head, and looked to see who it was.

“Blue!” he beamed. “Are you working tonight?”

The blue haired boy shot him a crooked grin. 

“Technically, but not here. I’m supposed to be in the kitchens.”

“Well, as your prince, I declare that you may spend the rest of the night out here, with me.” Luke announced in his most royal tone. 

Blue snickered behind his hand. “Thank you, my Prince.”

Luke wasn’t a prince, and his friends name wasn’t Blue. But Luke disliked being referred to only as ‘young Naberrie’, and Blue had made a joke out of keeping his name a secret.

“Come on, I think I saw Leia over there.” Luke helped his friend to his feet.

Blue groaned. “Your sister? But she hates me!”

“She doesn’t hate you.” Luke dismissed airily. “She just- thinks you’re stealing from the palace.”

Blue scoffed and brushed off his plain clothes.

“If I ever do steal from the palace, I’ll make sure I take it straight from her room.”

Luke giggled, and grabbed his hand.

“Come on, let’s go.”

They made their way over, and Leia turned as she heard them approach.

“Luke,” she frowned. “What have you done to your hair?”

He ruffled it sheepishly.

“I fell?”

She rolled her eyes. 

“You’ve disrupted your head piece.”

“Can you fix it? Please?” he begged. His mother would kill him if she saw him looking so ruffled.

She gave him a Look, but corrected the crooked the accessory. It was made up of a large, silver circlet, which stood straight up in the air, with two smaller circles on each side.

The opening in the rings was filled with delicate blue thread, and etched with patterns in more silver.

Leia wore a similar piece; based on the sun, with orange thread, and only one circlet. Though, hers was obscured by her gigantic wig.

“I swear, you’d die without me.” She huffed.

Luke stuck out his tongue at her. 

“Just because I don’t like this dumb thing doesn’t mean I’m useless. Besides, it makes greetings difficult!” He crossed his arms and pouted.

Leia propped a hand on her waist. “How? It rests on the back of your head.”

“Yeah, well- it just does, okay? Makes me nervous I’m gonna break it.”

Leia raised an unimpressed brow.

“Right. Well, you and your little rat friend shoo. I’m awaiting someone important.” She turned away.

Luke grinned deviously. “Your secret friend sneak his way into the party?”

Leia’s ears flushed. “Listen, I won’t tell mom and dad about yours, if you don’t tell about mine. Deal?” 

“Deal!” Luke chirped.

He grabbed Blue’s hand, and they were off again. 

“Wanna go get snacks?” Luke asked.

Blue shrugged, an easy smile on his lips. 

“Whatever you want. I’m gonna gorge myself on leftovers after.”

“Whoa, really? You’re so lucky.” Luke praised.

Blue ducked his head, cheeks slightly coloured.

“You’re too easy to impress, Prince.”

“But that _is_ cool.” Luke pouted, his signature look. “You get to have all the food you want after this.”

“Maybe,” he jerked his shoulder, “but you get to have all the food you want right _now._ ”

Luke hummed. “Yeah, but everyone can do that. Your thing is special, ‘cause only you can do it.”

His friend shook his blue curls. “You’re a strange one, my prince.”

“Thanks!” Luke revealed all his pearly whites.

“Master Luke, Master Luke!” a robotic voice called for the young blond.

Luke stopped dead in his tracks, turned his face to the ceiling, and let out a large, rude groan.

“Master Luke, I’ve found you!” C-3P0 waddled up to him. “I’ve been looking all over!”

“What is it, 3P0?” Luke grumped. 

“Your mother requests your presence!”

Luke brightened at that. “Really? Is she done talking to the boring people?”

“Master Luke, she was speaking to important diplomats! To be called ‘boring’ is such a discredit to all they do-”

“Yeah, yeah, zip it goldie.” Blue snarked, and Luke laughed.

“My, how rude.”

“Don’t worry, 3P0, I’m coming, I’m coming.” Luke assured the robot, then lightly patted his friend on the head. “I’ll see you later, kay?”

“Go talk to your mom, I’m fine on my own.” Blue nudged him. 

“Okay, see you in a bit!” and then he was following the robot towards his mother. 

She was sat on a large, ornate chair, at the back wall of the main party room.

Luke dashed up to her, and lept into her arms.

“Darling!” she pulled him in tight. “Are you enjoying your birthday?”

“Yes, Mamma.” Luke adjusted himself so he was sitting comfortably on her lap. 

“I really do hate this thing.” He tugged on the faux moon on his head.

Padme ran her hands along his crown.

“But darling, it looks so nice on you!”

Luke crossed his arms. “Yeah, I guess. I think I look even better with my hair on full display, though.”

Padme chuckled. “Oh, do you now?”

“Mhm.” he nodded. “I want to enjoy it while it’s still blond. When it turns brown like daddy’s, and Leia’s, I might just kill myself.”

Padme hooted. 

“Will you, now?” she asked him fondly. “Should I take offence?”

Luke shook his head. “You have pretty hair, mommy. Leia and Daddy have ugly hair.”

“What did you say about my hair, boy?” Anakin growled playfully and scooped him up.

Luke squealed as he was swung around.

“Dad, put me down!”

“Lift me higher? Is that what you said?” Anakin threw his son into the air and held him there with the Force.

“Anakin, be gentle with him!” Padme urged, covering her smile with a gloved hand. 

“He’s _fine_.” the Jedi insisted, bobbing the child up and down. “He’s gonna be flying soon, he should get used to the feeling!”

“Flying with a helmet, Anakin! Helmet!” 

Leia stomped up to them. 

“Hey! You said you wouldn’t play spaceship without me!” she scowled.

“Relax, darling, you’ll get your turn after.” Padme pulled her daughter close and kissed her cheek. “Are you having fun, dear?”

She nodded and leaned into her mother’s chest.

“I like meeting all the new people. They have such pretty clothes.”

“They do, don’t they? Though, nowhere near as pretty as ours.” Padme shifted backwards as Leia moved to sit on her lap.

“No one could ever be as pretty as us, mama. Naboo has the best fashion.” Leia declared proudly 

“Don’t you like those dresses from Alderaan your uncle Bail sent you?”

The young girl hummed thoughtfully. 

“Yes, I suppose they were nice too.”

“Have you said hi to him tonight?” 

Leia shook her head. “I’ll go look for him.”

“Me too!” Luke exclaimed from the air. 

“Alright, find him and bring him here so we can all say hello.” Anakin lowered Luke to the ground.

“Oh, darlings, wait!” Padme called to her children before they could disappear.

They paused, eager eyes facing her.

“I want to give you your presents!” she pulled two pouches from behind her back.

“Oh, yes!”

“Thanks, mamma!”

They pressed up against her knees, staring intently at their gifts.

Padme smiled at them.

“Alright. Pick a colour, red or purple?”

“Red!” Leia snatched the pouch.

“Purple!” Luke opened his without hesitation.

“Oh, mommy, I love it!” Leia squealed. 

“Yeah? It’s a cyber crystal. The jedi put it in their lightsabers to make them work.”

Luke pulled a square pendant out of his. 

“Mamma?”

Padme’s expression softened with nostalgia.

“That’s the necklace your father made for me when we first met. I’ve modified it a bit, so it works with your sisters gift.”

Gently, she took their presents.

“It works like this.” she put the crystal into the square, and the little intricate designs carved into it lit up.

“Oh!” Leia’s eyes glowed with awe.

“That’s so cool!”

“Mhm.” Padme smiled. “It’s incentive for you two to not hate each other when you grow up. You’ve got to stay friends if you want it to keep doing this.”

“Okay, mamma.”

“No problem.” 

“Oh! And one more thing.” she separated them. “Look here, see? They’re engraved.”

Leia squinted. “Mine says ‘to Alderaan’.”

“Mine says ‘from Naboo’.”

“Yes, well, it’s supposed to read ‘from Naboo to Alderaan’. Because that’s how much your father and I love you.”

“Cheesy!” 

“That’s so sweet, mamma. I love it!” Leia cooed. 

“Good. Put them on, and go find Bail.”

They put on their respective necklaces, and scampered off.

When they were just halfway across the room, the doors to the ballroom were violently thrown open.

The twins froze in their tracks.

A hooded figure entered the room, and everyone near him stiffened unnaturally.

Leia cautiously moved in front of Luke, and he carefully grabbed a vase from a nearby table.

“Why isn’t anyone doing anything?” Leia whispered, anger and fear colouring her tone.

“I don’t think they can.” Luke eyed the frozen form of the guards.

“Should we?”

“Maybe. See what dad’s doing.”

The man in question was angrily storming towards the unwelcome guest.

“What do you want, Palpatine?”

Leia squeaked.

Luke clutched his vase tighter.

Palpatine had been a senator of Naboo, and a close ally of their fathers, until it came out he worked in the dark side of the Force, and wanted to destroy the universe.

He wasn’t held in such high regards after that. 

They’d tried to imprison him, but he’d escaped, and had been in hiding.

Until now, apparently.

“I just came to wish the young Naberries a happy birthday.” an old voice croaked from under the hood. 

“Don’t you fucking touch my kids.” Anakin snarled. 

“The jedi council will hear about this, Palpatine.” Padme stared him down from the other side of the room.

His head tilted up slightly, revealing a grin.

“How will they, when no one will be left alive to tell them?”

“Fuck off, you wrinkly old bastard-”

That was when everyone realized exactly what power the darkside could grant.

Before anyone flinch, Anakin was being blasted with lightning.

“ _Ani!_ ” Padme screamed as her husband writhed on the floor. 

People cried out in fear, and ran for the doors.

That’s when the droids came in.

They started shooting people left and right, and it dawned on Leia just how much danger they were in.

“Luke, we have to run.” she tugged on his arm. “Luke, now!”

“Dad- dad, are you okay- dad-” he mumbled, eyes fixed on his father's limp form.

“Luke, come on!” Leia urged him.

He still wouldn’t move.

“Luke, Leia, we have to move, now!” Bail Organa appeared from the crowd and grabbed the siblings. 

“Dad-’

“Come on, Luke.” Bail picked him up and held him tight to his chest.

“Where do we go?” Leia asked as she dodged a laser.

“Just follow me.” he charged through the crowd.

Leia clung to his robe, doing her best to keep up.

They bumped into wailing partygoers, all desperately trying to find a way out.

“Where’s mommy?” Luke asked, scanning the room wildly.

“We can’t worry about her now, we have to get out of here.”

“But-”

“Later, Luke!” Bail bellowed, kicking open a door. Leia made sure to hang back and push a dresser in front of it. 

Bail lowered Luke to the ground. “Can you follow me?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I can.”

“Good.” he ushered him forward.

Luke wrapped his hand around his necklace, and chanted silent prayers to the Moon Goddess.

“Keep it moving, kids. We’ve got to get out of here.” 

Leia moved up beside her brother.

“Do you think mom and dad are okay?” she asked.

“Yes. They’re fine. Dad always gets a little banged up, but he’s also always okay. So, they’re gonna be okay.” 

Leia nodded.

“Right. They’re gonna be fine.”

They wandered the empty hallways, the sounds of violence getting quieter and quieter, until with a loud boom, they were getting far too close for comfort.

“Bail?” Leia called.

“Fuck.” he whispered. “Uh, maybe this way…?” 

“Over here!” a voice called from the shadows.

Luke whirled on his foot, his sister ducking behind him.

With a sigh of relief, he saw a familiar mess of blue hair.

“Blue!” Luke ran to him. 

“You know him?” Bail cautiously walked towards him with Leia close behind.

“He works here.” Luke tugged at his friend’s hand. “What are you doing here? You should have left!”

“Not without you.” Blue declared. “Come on, there’s a way out through the servants quarters.”

“Great, let’s go.”

They followed the kitchen boy down two more hallways, droids footsteps getting closer and closer.

“Hurry, boy.” Bail pushed him forward.

“I’m going, I’m going.” Blue glared at him.

He pushed a hidden panel in the wall, and a door slid open.

“Everybody in.” Blue waved them into the space.

Leia and Bail hurried forward, but Luke stalled.

“Blue-”

“Prince, you have to go.”

Blue eyes stared into blue, both stubborn.

“Blue, I’m serious. You have to come-”

A laser bolt flew by, grazing Luke’s chest, and severing the chain of his necklace.

“Go, now!” Blue shoved him into the secret entrance, and closed it.

“No!” Luke slammed his fists against the door.

“Luke, you have to come, now!” Bail picked him up again and ran.

“No! _No!”_

They reached another door, and Leia opened it.

They rushed through the castle grounds, ducking enemy fire, jumping over bodies.

All they had to do was reach the ships.

A bomb went off in the hangar, and Bail spun instantly.

“Into town, go!” 

Alright, new plan, head to the town ports.

People had heard of what was going on in the palace, and had the same idea as him.

The streets were thick with hysterical people, all trying to get off the planet.

“Stay close, stay close!” Bail’s arms were tiring, so he was forced to put the nobleson down.

After either hours or minutes of running, they approached a ship.

“Come on, kids! Almost there!”

There was a ramp up to the entrance, and Bail sighed with relief. 

They were in the home stretch.

Steps away from safety, he heard a scream that sent chills down his spine.

Luke was tumbling down the ramp, people trampling over him. 

“Luke!” Leia screeched. 

He lay limp on the ground, blood pooling around his face.

“No, stop! There’s a kid down there!” Bail roared at the robot manning the door. “Stop!” 

“I cannot. The door must be closed so we can take off.” it responded calmly.

“Luke!” Leia was crying now. “Luke!” 

Bail held her back so she couldn’t jump down to him.

“Let me go! Luke!” she wriggled. “Luke!” 

“We can’t get him now! We’ll have to come back!”

She wailed.

With a fluid movement, she ripped her necklace off, and threw it.

It flew through the air and, as if with outside help, landed on Luke.

“I’m coming back for you! I promise!” 

The door closed with a sickening finality.

Leia slumped against her uncle’s arms.

“We’re not going to come back here for awhile, are we?” she asked dully.

Bail didn’t answer. He just pulled her closer.

“It’s gonna be okay, sweetie. Promise.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fandom called him blueberry, so i called him blue, okay? i never said i was original


	2. have you heard? there's a rumour in the streets of Theed

Eight years later, a blond teenager by the name of Ben was being kicked out of his orphanage.

“Bye, everyone!” he waved as he was ushered out. “Be good, Nal’k! Twee, don’t harass your sister so much!”

“Oh, just keep moving!” the bitter owner grumbled as she gave him a rough shove through the gates.

“Temper, temper, Grunda.” he tutted cheekily. 

“Shut up, whelp.” she growled. “Now, you walk for a ways, and you’ll come across a fork. Go left, there’s a port there that will take you to Tatooine. I’ve got you a job on a moisture farm.”

Ben didn’t bother hiding his cringe. “Really? Farm work?”

“That’s what you get! Now go, get out of my hair!”

Ben wrinkled his nose at the old lady, and went off on his way.

The orphanage was hidden in a little patch of woods. Really, the ideal spot when you wanted to give children homes.

The city? Where everyone went? Too obvious.

On the end of a long, winding trail that even the mailman was convinced led to a dead end? Perfect.

This was the crummy little place that made up Ben’s entire life.

Well, what he could remember of his life, anyways.

But that’s what slamming your face off of -something- hard enough to scar half of your face will do to you.

His memory before the orphanage was a painful, hazy blur that he longed to remember.

Just a snippet of clear memory, that was all he asked.

He just wanted to know who his family was, wanted to know if he’d even had one.

If they’d cared.

But- nothing.

Not even a hint of who he was before.

Whatever. He didn’t really care.

He just wanted to take in the woods.

He’d never gotten to take his time and admire them before.

Hell, he’d never really even seen them. Rarely were they allowed to leave the decrepit, musty building. 

The air was warm, though that wasn’t unusual, and the sunlight filtered down pleasantly through the leaves.

The road he traveled was rocky, but smoothed by many travels.

Not that many, but still.

He grabbed a rock from the ground, and tossed it high in the air.

He caught it a few times, and then it hit him on the nose.

“Of course.” he scowled and rubbed the offended appendage.

The silence of the woods was starting to get to him. He was used to the hustle and bustle of the other kids; nature just wasn’t cutting it.

“What will Tatooine be like?” he wondered aloud. “Hot, probably. Sandy. That’ll be annoying. Who even lives on that dust ball? Other than the Huts, I guess. Fuck, with my luck, I’ll end up as his slave the second I touch down on the planet. That would suck, huh?”

No reply.

He almost wished there had been.

“Ugh, if life is going to be this quiet from now on, I wish they’d let me stay.” he kicked a pebble, and, to his surprise, it bounced off something with a loud clang.

He swung his head around in a wide arc, despite the noise coming from a clear spot.

He just liked to be sure, okay?

“Hello?” he called. “Is anyone there?”

A moment of silence, and then a very angry droid burst out of the bushes, little arms spinning violently.

“Whoa, hey!” Ben threw his leg up to protect himself. “Hey, stop that!”

The droid was orange, and making loud, rage filled noises.

“Hey, it’s okay! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you, and I didn’t mean to hit you! But I’m sorry!”

Still sounding displeased, it slowed it’s assault. 

“Yeah, see, we’re okay! Did I bang you up a bit? I’m sorry.”

The bot stopped, and grumbled. 

“Here, let me see.” he crouched down and examined it’s body. “Not even a scratch. You’re alright, little guy.”

It beeped at him.

“Sorry, Ch0pper.” he smiled. “I’m Ben.”  He straightened up. “Where are you going, Ch0pper?”

It beeped again.

“Well, if you don’t have any plans, would you like to come with me?”

A hum.

“Cool beans.” he patted it gently on the head. “Well, I’m headed...” he trailed off.

Up ahead, he saw the fork in the road.

A sign told him one way was to Meena, the town with the port.

The other, to Theed, Naboo’s capital. 

He couldn't remember ever going there, but he'd always wanted to.

He had been found in Theed, after all.

Maybe... maybe he could find something. Something that would hint at who he used to be.

“Theed.” he decided. “I’m going to Theed.”

Ch0pper whirred.

“Well, then you can show me around. I’ve never been, so being with someone who has will be helpful.”

Chattering with clear distaste, Ch0pper led the way.

The walk was long, but Ben enjoyed it. He was built for long distances; long and lean, and bursting with energy.

He mimicked bird calls, and whistled invitingly at the small critters that lived in the underbrush.

He let his fingers trail across leaves, and over bark.

He breathed in the sweet air released by local flowers, and smiled.

He could never have gone to a desecrate, sandy wasteland. Nature was where he belonged. 

After a bit, they came upon the town, and Ben’s face lit up.

“There it is! Theed.” his eyes took it all in hungrily.

Round buildings clustered in front of him; yellow’s and blue’s and green’s decorating the roofs. Behind all of that, like a wall almost, was the abandoned palace.

The Empire had made sure Naboo was never able to reestablish their royalty, or any form of leadership, really. The Emperor had ruled for a time, then when he disappeared, no one bothered to try and start over.

The people just- did what they wanted.

And it seemed to work, for the most part.

Ben shook his head free of his thoughts.

“Come on, Ch0pper. Lets’s see what’s down there.”

The cobblestone streets were bustling with life; vendors selling their goods, families buying select items, kids running around, doing whatever.

Ben grinned. This place had good energy. Maybe, he could stay here?

A spot on his chest warmed, and he rubbed it subconsciously. 

No, he wouldn’t.

He wouldn’t be staying on Naboo, he wouldn’t be going to Tatooine.

He was going to Alderaan.

“Hey, Ch0p.” he quietly got the droids attention. “Is there a port around here? For long distance travel?”

Ch0pper beeped curiously. 

“Alderaan. I think- there’s just something I want to see, there. That’s all.”

The bot hummed.

“You want to get off world?”

Ben turned, and saw an old woman wrapped in purple cloth.

“Yes, but I don’t think I’ll have an issue with that. My guardian arranged transport for me.”

“You one of the orphanage kids?”

He nodded.

She smiled, revealing very few teeth. “That deal only works with the one ship, and by the time you get there, it’ll be gone. You need a visa to leave.”

Ben groaned and rubbed his forehead. “Are you serious?”

She snorted. “Stupid kid. Listen, you want out? Talk to Jabba, at the palace. He’ll help you.”

“Jabba?” Ben scoffed. “Is that supposed to be a joke?”

The old crone frowned. “It’s not his real name, stupid. It’s just what he goes by.”

“Oh.” Ben was still suspicious, but didn’t really have any other ideas. “Well, thanks.”

She nodded, and walked away.

Ben watched her until she was out of his view, then relaxed. 

“That was strange.” he looked down at his new friend. “Well? Should we?”

Ch0pper grumbled indistinctly, but rolled on ahead. 

“Sweet!” 

As they walked there, little things stood out to Ben, for reasons he couldn’t explain.

Yellow fabric that faded to pink made him smile, and think of picnics in the meadow.

Something he’d never done before.

Gunglung fruits made him wrinkle his nose in disgust, though he’d never had one before.

Maybe he was right, maybe he had had a life here once.

Hopefully, anything that remained of that life was in Alderaan. 

The palace clung to the edge of a cliff, but not in a way that suggested a lack of stability. It just looked… pretty.

The doors were boarded up, but with a little effort, Ben was able to make an entrance for both him and Ch0pper.

“After you,” he waved the droid in graciously.

It beeped it’s annoyance at him, but went in first.

Ben followed close behind, and gasped when he saw what was in front of him.

Grand staircases led to the upper levels, decorated with intricate carvings, and marked by elegant statues.

“Whoa.” he breathed, spinning slowly. “This place is beautiful.”

Ch0pper chirped.

“I don’t care how many times you’ve been here. I can’t imagine this ever getting old.” Ben paused, and glared at the robot. “Wait, you’ve been here before?”

A sheepish beep.

“Ugh, of course you have. Does that mean you can lead me to this ‘Jabba’ person?”

Ch0pper rocked his body like a nod, and took off down a hallway to the right.

Ben was going to follow him, honest, but those stairs… he knew there was something up there.

Something important.

So, he took a little detour. 

No problem, he wouldn’t break anything.

He just wanted to look. 

He crept up the stairs, taking in more of the room. 

Whoever had built the space had put a lot of time and effort into it.

Ben brushed his hand over a carefully carved flower on the stairs railing, and was almost surprised when it felt like rough stone, rather than soft petals.

At the top of the stairs, the entrance to what appeared to be a ballroom.

This room was just as beautiful as the last, so Ben entered. 

The floors, despite not having been cleaned for years, still shone brightly with the cracks of sunlight that slipped in. They were solid gold, with patterns that led the eye around the entire room, following the dainty circles. 

He stepped in, letting his gaze fall where it pleased.

He walked across the floor cautiously, like it might break. 

He wished the windows weren’t blocked; the room felt depressing in the dark. Like it was meant to be light, and full. 

He turned his attention to the wall opposite the windows, and saw dozens of portraits.

Of all the royal families, he guessed. 

None looked alike, though that was to be expected. Naboo had had an elected monarchy, so it was unlikely the same family would end up ruling again.

A thought tickled at the back of his mind, and he thought he remembered senators living in the palace as well, when they weren’t dealing with events off world. 

Finally, his gaze fell upon a door to what he presumed to be the kitchen, and his heart froze.

Looking at that made him feel unreasonably sad, so he quickly moved on.

At the back wall, directly in front of him, was a portrait of the three last ruling queens.

He looked at the first painting, and froze.

It was of Senator Amidala, her husband, Anakin Skywalker, and their two children.

He barely even looked at the boy. His focus was fixed firmly upon the daughter.

Leia. 

She was pouting, strong eyebrows suggesting boredom, hands loosely holding flowers.

Without noticing, he walked closer and closer to her, hand slowly extending forward. 

Just as his fingers grazed her face, he was interrupted.

“Hey! The palace is our territory! You want to squat somewhere? Find a bridge!”

Ben whirled on his foot, and only then noticed he was crying.

Hastily, he wiped his face.

“I’m not squatting!” Ben defended himself. 

“Then what the hell are you doing?” the accusations were coming from a boy, about Ben’s age, with short blue hair, and two scars on his left cheek.

“I- I’m looking for… Jabba?” Ben felt ridiculous for even saying it.

The boy tilted his head. “And why is that?”

“Do you know who he is?”

“Maybe.”

“Is he you?” Ben deadpanned.

The boy flushed. “Who wants to know?”

“My name is Ben. I heard you can get me off world?”

Jabba slowly strolled forward.

“Technically, I could. But why would I?”

“Oh, um, I can pay? You?”

“You better have a good amount of credits.”

He did not.

"Well, hehe, I, um-" 

“Ezra! Are you yelling at the birds again? Cause if you are, I swear-” a head of short, brightly coloured hair popped in. “Oh? Do we have a guest?”

“Sabine!” Jabba- er, Ezra? growled. “You can’t just say my name!”

“You just said mine.” she pointed out, joining him. 

“Yeah well, that was payback!” he huffed and crossed his arms. 

“Whatever.” she rolled her eyes, and froze when she saw Ben. “No way.”

“What?” Ezra grumped.

“Tell me you’re joking. You don’t see it?”

“See what?” Ben cut in.

Sabine grabbed Ezra’s face, and forced him to look at Ben, then something behind him.

“You’re shitting me.” he breathed.

“What? What is it?” Ben shuffled, uncomfortable with the way they were staring at him.

“He looks just like him!”

“Who?” Luke furrowed his brow. “Care to fill me in?”

Sabine stepped forward, and turned Ben around.

“You look just like Luke Naberrie!” she exclaimed, excitement evident in her tone.

“What? No way.” Ben scoffed.

“No, you do! The eyes, the chin, the hair colour… you could totally be him!”

Ben glared at her. “He’s dead.”

“Not necessarily!” Ezra popped up beside them. “We’ve all heard the rumours. Leia got out alive, so why couldn’t he?”

“That’s what she thinks, at least.” Sabine added. “She’s still waiting for her brother to come home.”

Ben shrugged her off and backed away. “Look- this is all ridiculous. I just came here to see if you could help me get to Alderaan.”

“Oh come on, are you joking?” Sabine shook her head with a smile. “This is- this has to be a joke.”

“What, why?” he pouted.

“That’s where Leia is! Tell me, why are you going to Alderaan?” Ezra propped a fist on his hip.

“Well, um, I don’t remember much about my past, because I have amnesia, but I know something’s waiting for me there.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Ezra got far too close for comfort, grinning. “You have amnesia, you’re about the right age, you look the same, and you want to go to Alderaan? Benny boy, I don’t know how you aren’t seeing it.”

Ben curled in on himself. “I just- it doesn’t make sense. Someone like me couldn’t be him.”

“But you could be!” Sabine insisted. “Here, how about this. We take you to Alderaan, ask for an audience with her ladyship, and find out the truth!”

Luke frowned. “... why are you doing this?”

“Hey, we might have just found the missing Naberrie! Who wouldn’t want to see it through?” Ezra leaned in again, and Ben kept him away with a closed fist.

“You- you two are crazy. I’m not some- some long lost noble kid.”

Sabine opened her mouth to object, but Ezra stopped her.

“Well, if that’s how you feel, than that’s how you feel. Guess we’ll never know the truth.”

And he turned around, and walked away.

Ben sneered at him, and watched Sabine follow, reluctantly. 

He sighed, and faced Leia again.

Big brown eyes looked into his, and they looked sad.

Lonely.

Like they belonged to a girl who just wanted her brother back.

He ran a hand through his hair, and looked at Luke.

He looked happy, and cheery, despite no smile being evident. He just seemed like… like a ball of light.

Like someone that would be missed.

He groaned.

“Wait.” 

The two stopped.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but- I guess there’s no harm in just- seeing, right? I want to go there anyways, what’s the harm in seeing if I’m related to Leia fucking Naberrie, and just don’t know it?”

“That’s the spirit!” Ezra beamed at him, and Ben took a step back.

“But he has to stay at least two feet away from me.”

“What?!”

“Deal!” Sabine trotted up to him, and linked their arms. “Don’t worry, Ben. We’re gonna find your family.”

He forced a smile.

“Thanks.” 

Ways away, on a cold, deserted planet, an old man allowed himself a small smile.

The Force, as it always did, was working in his favour.

Luke Skywalker was alive, and he would finally have his revenge.

A chuckle escaped his lips, then another.

It soon turned into a wild cackle.

His mission, his greatest goal, was about to be completed.

And he couldn’t be happier. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asjdk if I ever call him Luke instead of Ben, ignore it i promise i'm trying


	3. ch0pper, we're going to Alderaan!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> internet is sparse in these trying times

“You’ve got to be shitting me.”  
“Zeb, listen, this is our big break! We’ve been looking for a Luke for awhile now, and this one doesn’t even know about the reward! It’s the perfect set up. This is exactly what we need to buy that ship. This is our chance!”  
“Do we really want another dumbass teen working with us?”  
“Hey!”   
Ezra tuned out the rest of their conversation.  
He gently ran his thumb along the square pendant in his hand, and sighed.  
Ben wasn’t Luke.  
He’d thought, for a moment, that he was.  
That he’d found his old friend.  
But Luke- Luke would never have looked at him like that.  
Like he disgusted him.  
He’d been the only one who’d never looked down on him, who never saw him as lesser.  
So, Ben wasn’t Luke.  
Which was honestly for the better. Ezra doubted he could stomach the con he’d cooked up if his friend was alive and out there, looking for his family.  
If he was dead, than Ezra wasn’t robbing him of the life he deserved, he was helping some poor sap get rich while he got his own hefty sum.  
He knew, or at least wanted to think, that Luke would want him to have the money.  
To buy the ship, to leave his worries behind and live a peaceful life on the outskirts of the universe.  
Luke cared about him. He’d want him to be happy.  
“Oh, stuff it Zeb!”  
Those two, with their ridiculous fucking arguement, did not.  
“Shut up.” he snapped. “Zeb, we’re doing this. Sabine’s right, this is as close to the real thing as we’re going to get.”  
Zeb crossed his arms. “Fine.”  
“I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal out of this, this was always the plan.” Sabine huffed.  
“I never actually thought we were going to do it! The risk-”  
“-Is worth it.” Ezra said cut in with finality. “There’s no argument here, Zeb. It’s happening.”  
The lasat growled, but didn’t protest.  
“Good. Now, where is he?”  
Everyone tensed.  
“I told Zeb to watch him.”  
“I had to be filled in on the plan, why the hell would I watch him?”  
“I was filling you in on the plan, why would I watch him?”  
“Enough!” Ezra rubbed his brow. “I’ll find him. You guys make sure our visa’s look good.”  
“They better, I paid top dollar for them.”  
Ezra shook his head as he left the old bedroom.  
A new fight had started afresh, but he didn’t bother himself with it.  
He just let his eyes idly scan the fancy carvings, and expensive paintings lining the walls.  
Living in the castle had been hard, at first.  
What with all the memories, and the guilt.  
He wasn’t sure what he felt guilty about.  
He passed a staircase, and though his eyes darted up it, he kept to his path.  
It made him uncomfortable to think that finding Ben was the first time he’d been in the ballroom since the event.  
The ballroom, that hallway, the prince’s bedroom, and the gardens.  
All places that reminded Ezra of him, and all places he avoided.  
The music room was empty. He hadn’t expected to find Ben there, but there was no harm in looking.  
He’d looked for Luke, after everything had cooled down.  
In hospitals, alleys, everywhere.  
But his prince was nowhere in sight.  
Then the news came out that a large amount of blood, id’d to be the prince’s, had been found at the town ports.  
Ezra found out a few years later that Leia had no idea where her brother was, but for a time, he allowed himself to hope he’d escaped.  
When he heard she was looking for him, and that he’d supposedly hit his head pretty hard… it didn’t look good.  
The Emperor never said anything specifically about him, but he never said he was alive either.  
Then he’d (according to reports) died with the jedi who were sent to defeat him, and they never got answers.  
So, Luke was dead.  
And this blond buffoon was their only chance at a better life.  
To Ezra’s distaste, he found Ben in the ballroom again.  
He bit his cheek when he realized he’d have to look at the portrait again.  
The shock had numbed the pain before, but he knew he wouldn’t be allowed the same luxury this time.   
“Hey, Benny Boo!” he called cheerily.  
The teen turned, a small scowl on his face.  
Ezra wanted to scream at him, for using a face so similar to his prince’s for such an ugly expression, but instead kept his smile up.  
“What do you want?” Ben asked, turning back to the painting.  
Ezra fixed his eyes firmly on the back of his head, refusing to let them wander even a little bit.  
“We were just wondering where you were, buddy pal.” Ezra shifted his weight to his right foot. “You ready to go? We’re leaving soon.”  
Ben turned to face him, a hint of fear in his eyes.  
Ezra softened.  
Poor kid had never been off planet before. He was probably nervous to leave the only place he’d ever known.  
“You’re not going to kill me and sell my organs the second we’re in the air, are you?”  
Never mind, he was a fucking bastard child like he’d thought.  
“Seriously?” his smile turned sharp. “I could have killed you the second I found you. Give me some credit.”  
Ben sniffed. “Maybe.”  
Oh, fuck him.  
Ezra spun on his heel to hide the hostility building up in him.   
“Follow me. We need to get the others, and then we’re out of here.”  
He tried to keep his pace natural, but couldn’t help his rushed gait.  
Ezra clenched his hand into a fist, and tensed his shoulders.  
He was only taking this so hard because he looked like Luke. He’d taken much worse before, and he’d probably hear worse again.   
He just- he just had to separate them, in his head.  
Then he’d be able to finish this easily.  
Ben picked up his pace, pulling up beside Ezra.  
“So, how are we getting to Alderaan?”  
“On a ship.”  
“What ship?”  
“The one going to Alderaan.”  
“You don’t have to be difficult.” Ben pouted.  
Ezra shot him a wild look.  
Ben smothered a smile.  
Bitch.   
He walked faster.  
“I think it’s about time you met Zeb.”  
“Zeb?”  
Ezra smirked.  
“Yeah. You two are going to get along great.”  
Ben shrunk away from him, and a dark satisfaction settled warmly in Ezra’s chest.  
Maybe he could make the best of this yet.  
Zeb was terrible with new people, especially teenage boys.  
When Ezra had first met Zeb, he’d almost thrown him off a spaceship.  
He was more than excited to see what would happen to Ben.   
“Here’s Ben everyone!” he announced, whirling the other boy into the room.  
Sabine saluted him. “What’s up, Young Naberrie?”  
Ben cringed. “Please no.”  
“Damn.” Zeb whistled. “You’re right. If it wasn’t for that scar, he’d be the spitting image.”  
The large, purple man stalked forward.  
Ezra expected Ben to cower, but, to his ever growing annoyance, he stood tall, eyes wide.  
“Are you a lasat?” his face almost shone with awe.  
Zeb nodded. “That I am.”  
“Did you ever get to ride a Youlot 360?” Ben leaned forward.  
Zeb nodded again, a grin taking over his features.  
Fuck.  
“Fastest thing I’ve ever been on.”  
“Really?”  
“Hell yeah it was. Flew so fast I smashed into a building before I even saw it, cracked my skull right the hell open.”  
“Is that why you’re so fucking stupid?” Sabine asked sweetly.  
Zeb roared back a defense while Ben laughed.  
It was a nice sound, light and cheery.  
Ezra scowled at the thought.  
Already the blond little freak was infecting him.  
He had to get his reward money and get out.  
“Alright, well, this has been fun!” Ezra hooked his arm around Ben and Sabine’s shoulders. “But we have a ship to catch. Everyone packed?”  
“I have this pair of clothes and this pair of clothes only.” Ben pushed his arm off.   
“Really? That means this is the outfit you’re going to die in.” Sabine frowned.  
“What’s wrong with it?”  
Ezra gave the warm grey poncho and white pants a once over.  
“What isn’t?”  
Ben elbowed him. “Whatever.”  
Ezra rubbed his gut and smiled through the urge to scowl again.  
“Great, then. Everyone’s ready to go. So, let’s go.”  
Zeb left the room, offering to tell Ben more stories, and he eagerly followed.  
"Oh, and I came here with a droid? Do you know where he is?"  
"Ch0pper? that ol' sack of bolts is probably trying to steal my shit!"  
Ezra stuck his tongue out at the blond’s back.  
He crossed the room and shoved some stray items into a bag.  
He didn’t have much; another pair of clothes, some rations, and, of course, the prince’s necklace.  
Satisfied he’d grabbed everything, he stood up, and came face to face with a smug looking Sabine.  
“What?” he growled.  
“Five credits say you’ll kill yourself before the end of this.”  
“Oh, haha.” Ezra pushed past her. “Yep, you got me. I don’t like Ben.”  
Her smug look got smugger.  
“What?”  
“Ten credits say’s you’ll be feeling differently by the end of this, and that’s why you kill yourself.”  
Ezra, annoyingly, blushed. “Shut the fuck up.”  
“It’s going to happen.” Sabine crossed her arms.  
“It’s so not! I like smart, reasonable guys, and crazy, wild girls. He’s neither.”  
“That’s the point.” she leaned in. “People always fall for someone that’s not their type. Look at Kallus and Zeb.”  
Ezra shot her the most horrified look possible. “I am not going to end up like Kallus and Zeb!”  
She gave him a quick pat on the back as she passed him. “Sure you won’t.”  
“Bitch!”   
He heard her laugh from the hallway.  
Bitch.   
He wasn’t- she was messing with him. He was not going to fall for Ben.  
He was using Ben. And Ben was annoying.  
So, there would be no falling whatsoever.   
Yeah.  
He sighed and readjusted his bag.  
This would only take three, maybe four days.  
He could do this.  
Totally.  
He lightly wrapped his hand around the pendant.  
“I’m so sorry that we’re pretending this ugly bimbo is you. Forgive me, prince.”  
He imagined Luke’s tinkling laugh, and smiled.  
Yeah. This would be fine.  
He left the room, listening for his friends, humming a tune.  
This would be just fine.


	4. Do You Really Think I'm Royalty?

Ben liked Ezra.

He was good looking and all too easy to mess with.

Ben had only ever known the other kids in his orphanage, so it was nice to meet someone new.

It was also nice to mess with someone, rather than being messed with.

He whistled a cheery tune as he waited beside Zeb for the ship’s doors to open, watching Ezra get more and more pissed from the corner of his eye.

He rocked on his feet, and looked around.

The ship they were boarding was big, and round, like a bloated oval.

All around him were people crowding together, waiting with suitcases in hand, impatiently checking the time.

Ben knew that it was getting late, and that they should have, at the very least, been let on the ship by then, but he didn’t much care.

Annoying Ezra was more than enough to entertain him while they waited.

Ezra ground his teeth together loudly, and finally snapped.

“Stop it! Stop it right now, or I will cut you down!”

Ben politely cut off his whistle. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea it was bothering you!”

Ezra bared his teeth, and Sabine held him back.

“Cool it, Jabba.”

Zeb, who had been watching the crowd closely, called for everyone’s attention. 

“Seems like something is going on over there.” Zeb pointed towards a booth away from the ship. “People are going there, and coming back with something in their hands.”

“Alright, we should check it out.” Sabine readjusted her helmet. “Zeb, with me. You two, stay here.”

Ben and Ezra exchanged a look.

Great, more time with the emo.

Ezra stubbornly fixed his gaze on the ship, and Ben sighed.

Boring old loser.

He looked around and saw a cute girl, with long red hair, and a simple yellow dress.

Hmm. Someone to talk to? Maybe? 

“Where are you off to?” he walked towards her, smiling friendily. 

She blushed at the attention, and ducked her head.

“Oh, um, I’m visiting some family in the Qual system.”

“Nice! I don’t think I’ve heard of that, what’s it like?”

Her blush deepened, and she began to stammer.

“Oh, um, it’s, you know, it’s nice?” she fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

He was used to people acting like this. He may not understand  _ why  _ they did it, but they never seemed upset with him, so he didn’t concern himself with it. 

“I- um, it’s sunny.” she offered. “And warm. Really good for farming. That’s what my family does.”

“Oh? That’s cool. Do you have animals?”

She nodded hastily. “Yes, yes we have-”

“Alright, Beny-Boo.” Ezra stepped in, glaring at the girl. “You’re supposed to stay close.”

“I know, but you didn’t seem very chatty, so I decided to make some friends.”

She girl squeaked lightly.

Ezra’s face tensed, then melted into an easy smile.

Fake lil bitch.

The blue haird man hooked his head on Ben’s shoulder, and smiled up at him.

“What’s your friends name?”

Ben rolled his eyes. He swore Ezra was so touchy only because it annoyed him.

“It’s- it’s Meredi.” she answered shyly.

“Hi, Meredi. I’m Ben. This is-”

“Jay.” Ezra smiled sweetly, and extended a hand.

His weight was starting to become overwhelming.

_ It’s too much _

_ It’s too much _

_ Just get off, get off, get oFF IT’S TOO MUCH- _

He clenched his hands and tried to breathe.

“-yeah, I’ve been there before. Love the market place-”

Breathe breathe breathe.

“-mom, she makes the best jams.”

He knows it bothers you, just put up with it and he’ll stop.

“Alderaan. Getting Benny here to his family-”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

His skin burned where Ezra was touching it.

It  _ hurt  _ and he wanted it to  _ stop- _

“Ben? Are you- are you crying?”

He opened eyes he didn’t know were closed. 

“Huh?”

Ezra pulled away, a confused frown on his face. “What happened?”

Ben shook his head, and brushed his shoulder to rid himself of the feeling.

Ezra’s eyes narrowed at that. 

“Yeah, sorry. The smoke, in the air, it was getting to me.” Ben waved away the fog from other ships that had taken off. “Stung a bit. I’m okay, don’t worry about me.” 

Meredi nodded, but Ezra didn’t seem to buy it.

Ben bit his lip. 

“Uh, anyways. We should go see if Sabine and Zeb are back, eh?”

“Sure.” Ezra said slowly. “Well, see you, Meredi.”

“Safe travels!” she wished them, and turned back to the ship.

Sabine and Zeb returned, with an extra form most people hadn’t known they were supposed to grab.

When enough people finally did, they were finally allowed onto the ship.

Their small group headed to the cabin they had booked, and waiting there was Ch0pper.

He sat by a window that over looked the port. The room was red, with gold accents, and on each side of the wall was three plush seats.

“Damn, I forgot robots got let on first.” Sabine plopped on the seat in front of the droid, and gave his head a pat. “Did you have fun waiting for us?”

Ch0pper beeped back, but Ben ignored it.

He sat in a corner, and tried to subtly press himself up against the side.

His shoulder still tingled with Ezra’s phantom head.

It wasn’t  _ Ezra  _ touching him that caused such a reaction. He just- didn’t like being touched in general.

Well, that was putting it a little simply. He just… hadn’t had a lot of it, growing up in the orphanage. So, whenever he did it felt… bad. After a while.

Ben sighed and pressed his head against the cool glass.

Was it worth telling Ezra that? Or would he just use it against him?

Ben pulled out his necklace and twirled it between his fingers.

He’d figure it out later.

Ezra, who had been walking noticeabley slower than the rest of then, finally entered the room.

He tried to sit beside Zeb, but the lasat shoved him aside.

“No room. My fat ass needs two seats.”

“That’s bullshit! Move over, Zeb.” Ezra shoved at him, but he didn’t move.

With a growl, Ezra slumped into the seat farthest from Ben on his side.

He set his bag down rather violently, and it hit Ben in the side.

Ben rubbed his arm, and winced at the harsh look on Ezra’s face.

Fuck, he was going to have to apologize, wasn’t he?

The ship began it’s take off, and Ben leaned back in his seat.

After, when everyone had settled down.

He would explain things then. 

_ Research needed _

Yeah, Ezra was pissed at Ben.

But, could you blame him?

The bitch literally started fucking  _ crying  _ because Ezra  _ touched _ him.

Next time he should just state outright that he hated Ezra’s guts. Save them all time.

Fuck. Fuck!

His head was starting to spin. He couldn’t handle all these not-Luke things coming from someone that looked like Luke.

He’d fallen alseep cuddling that boy, and now this motherfucker was having a damn fit because Ezra touched him.

Well, whatever. Fuck him.

He’d use him for money, and then he’d never fucking have to see him again.

The small space was riddled with tension. Sabine and Zeb shuffled in their seats, and tried to start a few conversations, but they all died out. 

Ben was trying to fuse with the wall, and that just pissed Ezra off even more.

Sabine coughed, and he looked at her.

“Zeb and I are going to see if they have any food.” she stood from her seat.

“Sabine, let me come-” he tried to stand, but she pushed him down. 

“Stay. Someone has to keep an eye on the Young Naberrie.” she had removed her helmet, and he could see the meddling twinkle in her eye.

“Sabine-” 

“Let’s go, Zeb!”

She skipped out the door, Zeb smirking at him as he followed.

Fuckers.

He slouched farther into his chair.

Great, now he was alone with a bitchy droid and a rude motherfucker.

Fucking bitch, probably wasn’t even going to say shit to him, gonna sit here awkwardly-

“I’m sorry.”

Ezra stared at him with wide eyes.

Ben was rubbing Ch0pper’s head, and not looking at Ezra.

“It wasn’t- I just don’t like being touched. Is all. It- um, it hurts? Sometimes? So I’m sorry, if I hurt your feelings.”

Oh.

Ezra didn’t know what to say.

“I’m not sorry for annoying you all those other times, though. Those were entirely on purpose.” his mouth twitched.

“Oh, were they?” Ezra found himself smiling crookedly.

“Hundred percent.” Ben nodded. “In fact, I’ve been going easy on you.”

“I’d be dissapointed if that was your best.” he leaned back, head against the wall, leg up on the seat.

Ben looked at them then, but only to glare at his boot.

“Wow, thank you for shoving your nasty, dirty foot in my face.”

“Your face? It’s barely near you!”

Ben delicately (forcefully) shoved his foot off and sent Ezra tumbling.

“Sorry, it was far too close for comfort.”

Ezra scowled up at him, but there was humour in his eyes.

As Luke, Ben was a piece of shit.

As Ben, well, he wasn’t so bad.

He shook his head and laughed from his position on the floor.

“Well, Young Naberrie, I’ve gotta say, your manners will need some work.”

“You would speak that way to your superior?” Ben pressed a hand to his chest.

“You’re no superior of mine.” Ezra turned his nose up to him.

“How dare you. I’ll have you banned from the solar system as soon as I am back in power.” Ben crossed his arms and turned away.

Ch0pper chirped angrily at Ezra.

“Thank you, Ch0pper.”

“Rude!” 

When Sabine and Zeb came back in, Ben and Ezra weren’t talking, but the mood was much lighter, and both boys had moved slightly closer to each other.


	5. Men Are Such Babies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2000+ words for you my darlings uwu

Back on Palpatine’s planet of fuckery, the old man was planning what gruesome creature he should send after Luke.

He could sense the boys movements, and knew he was in open space. 

Fortunately, he was also close to an asteroid field.

Grinning, Palpatine extended his mental reach, and found a swarm of mynock’s.

Yes, they would do nicely.

“ _ -red, it’s all supposed to be red-” _

_ “-you sure-” _

_ “We need to move, now-” _

Snippets of conversation flowed in and out of Ben’s ears, though his mind was still in sleeps grasp. 

Or, it was, until a hand gently shook his shoulder.

Anticipating Nar’ok to be standing over him with a nasty surprise, Ben shot his fist into the air, colliding with a nose far too human to be who he thought.

“Shit, I’m sorry!” Ben shot up. “I thought you were someone else, I’m-”

“Fuck!” Ezra clutched his nose and backed away.

“Oh, it’s just you.” Ben smothered his smile. “Well, then I guess it’s alright.”

“Bitch.” Ezra snapped.

“Yeah, yeah.” Ben stood up and stretched. “What’s up?”

“We’re sitting somewhere else.” Ezra rubbed his offended appendage. “And I hate you.”

“Love you too.” Ben winked. “Come on, Ch0pper.”

The robot chirped angrily. 

“What? I don’t see anything.” he peered out the window the droid was staring at. Nothing but empty space, winking stars, and the occasional space rock.

“Come on, Ch0p, let’s go.”

Ch0pper growled, but followed him out of the room.

“So, where are we going?” Ben sped up so he and Ezra were walking side by side.

“Uh, we’ve got a more private room. Back here. Only the best, for the Young Naberrie!” Ezra hooked an arm around Ben, which he knocked off with a playful eyerole.

“You’re sure that’s it? We’re not on this ship illegally, are we? Don’t have to move to avoid being ejected, hm?”

“No!” Ezra scoffed. “We just- gotta move.”

“Mhm.” Ben stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned towards Ezra. “So, where are we moving to, then? First class? Up with the captain?”

Ezra coughed into his fist. “The baggage area?”

Ben shook his head. “Tsk tsk. Shoving nobility in with suitcases. If only my sister could see you now.”

Ezra shuddered. “She almost killed me for looking at her wrong. I don’t want to know what she would do if she saw us now.”

Ben frowned. “She what?”

Ezra’s whole body tensed up, and he quickened his pace. “Nevermind.”

“No,” Ben reached out, grabbing his wrist. He made Ezra face him, then let go.

Ezra shifted on his feet, eyes darting along the hallway. 

“Ezra, Leia was mean to you?”

Ezra huffed and turned his face upwards. “You find out I’ve been around Leia, and your biggest concern is that she might have hurt my feelings.”

“Yeah, it is.” Ben leaned in and tried to make eye contact. “What did she say to you?”

Ezra rubbed his nose, and shrugged. “Nothing, really. Just, little passing comments when she saw me in the hallways.”

Ben’s stomach felt heavy with guilt. If he  _ was _ Luke, and Leia was his sister, then he had let this happen.

“I’m sorry.”

Ezra’s eyes widened.

“You- you don’t have to be. You never did anything.”

“That’s the issue. If I’m Luke, then I didn’t stop her from being mean to you.” Ben lightly touched his finger to Ezra’s hand. “I’m sorry.”

Ezra gaped at him for a bit longer, then burst into laughter.

“Damn, you’re crazy. You know that?” he rubbed tears from his eyes.

Ben pouted, cheeks hot. “Whatever.”

“Come on.” Ezra nudged him with his elbow. “Let’s go. Sabine and Zeb are probably getting impatient.”

Ben walked away, embarrassed and a little angry, and missed the fond look Ezra was giving him.

“Hey, Naberrie.”

Ben turned around.

“I was a kitchen boy. Which is something you should have asked on your own.”

Ben tilted his head, and smiled. “Huh. So, does that mean you used to work for me?”

“Shut up.” Ezra brushed past him. “Don’t be so slow, or we’ll let Zeb say he’s Luke and steal your family.”

“Jerk.” Ben jogged to catch up.

Ch0pper stuck behind, judging the boys from a distant.

After going down a few flights of stairs, Sabine’s colourful armour came into view.

“There you are.” she scowled at them. “What took you?”

“Ezra.” Ben pointed to the other. “He was sleeping.”

“Wha-”

“Dammit, Ezra, I told you to be quick! Not to take a nap.”

Ezra gave him a dirty look.

“Come on.” Sabine waved them along. “We’ve gotta be quick.”

“Well, this certainly feels legal.” Ben commented lightly.

“Shut the fuck up and keep moving.” Sabine shoved him into a doorway she’d been guarding.

Ben’s back burned with her handprint, not liking the forceful push at all.

He shook it off, and looked around.

They were in a large hangar, piles of bags stacked neatly in rows before him. 

Zeb was lounging against one of these piles, boredly tapping his staff against the ground.

“There you are.” he grunted when he saw them approach. “Come on, get in here. We’ve got to stay out of sight.”

“So legal.” Ben mouthed to Ezra, who flipped him off. 

He shoved them into a cave he made with the bags, and they all sat on the floor.

“We should be good to stay here until it gets closer to landing time.” Sabine took off her helmet and gave her head a shake. “Then we’ll sneak back in, and get off with everyone else.”

Ben gave the metal ground a pat. “Comfy.”

Ezra elbowed him. “Shut up. We’re doing this for you, Young Naberrie.”

“I’d expect better treatment from those who assist in my reunion.” Ben sniffed, rubbing the sore spot on his chest.

“Just ignore him, Ben.” Sabine pulled a duffle bag loose and molded it into a pillow. “Well, everyone, rest up. We’ll be on Alderaan soon.”

Zeb settled back to sleep as well, but Ben had already napped for a few hours, and was restless. He reached into his shirt and spun his necklace between his fingers.

Ezra, likewise, was fiddling with something in his pocket.

“What’s that?” Ben asked, not really curious, but wanting something to talk about.

Ezra’s hand stilled, then went back to moving. 

“Nothing. What do you have?”

Ben looked away. “Nothing.” 

“Touche.” Ezra groaned and tried to stretch in the small space. “Want to go bum around the ship?”

“Aren’t we supposed to stay hidden?” Ben furrowed a brow.

Ezra leaned forward and bopped him on the nose. 

“Live a little, Naberrie.”

Ben scowled. He grabbed Ezra’s hand and licked it.

“Agh, gross!” Ezra shoved his hand back in Ben’s face and wiped off the saliva.

His hand stopped when it touched Ben’s scar, and both boys froze.

It was a large, jagged line, that started at his jaw, cut across his cheek, and ended on his forehead.

Ezra, seeming to realize what he was doing, yanked his hand away.

Ben blinked and dipped his head. 

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Ben shrugged, eyes on the ground. “I mean, most people ask before they rudely touch my scar, but-”

“Oh, fuck you.” Ezra’s tone was harsh, and it surprised Ben. “You always pull this shit. I think you’re fine, and then you go and be a douche.”

“Dude, I was joking.” Ben’s shoulders curled around his ears. “I’m not mad you touched it.”

“Whatever.” Ezra turned around, back facing Ben.

“No, I’m serious.” Ben grabbed Ezra’s wrist.

“Hey-!” 

He pulled Ezra’s hand back to his scar. “I was just making fun of you. Honest.” 

Ezra stared him down. “So, everyone asshole thing you’ve done, has been your version of a joke?”

“I thought that was obvious.” Ben admitted weakly. His face was starting to itch where Ezra was touching it, but to prove his point, he held it there. 

Ezra groaned, and let his head land on Ben’s shoulder.

Ben startled, but didn’t object.

“You’re so fucking stupid.”

“Sorry?” Ben offered.

Ezra pulled back, and lowered his hand. 

“You need some kind of give, so I know when you’re being an ass, or when you’re actually being mean.”

“Hey,” Ben punched Ezra’s shoulder. “I’m never an ass. I am one hundred percent loveable all the time.”

“Ah, that’s it.” Ezra pointed at him. “That’s your tell.”

“What?” Ben grabbed his face. “What was it?”

“Your voice goes deeper when you’re messing with me.”

Ben covered his mouth. “Not true!”

“So true,” Ezra smirked. “I’ve figured you out, Benny Boo.” 

“Fuck you.” Ben shoved him, and Ezra shoved him back.

At that moment, the ship jolted.

Ben yelped and landed on top of Ezra, who shot a protective hand over his head. 

Ben, already slightly overwhelmed by all the physical contact, was not enjoying this much.

As soon as the ship stopped shaking, he shot off of Ezra. 

Ezra gave him a look, then softened. 

“Right, you’re not a fan of touch.”

“I promise it’s not just you.”

Ezra nodded. “What do you think caused that?”

Ben rubbed his chin. “Power failure?”

“No way. This is a transportation ship that travels long distances. The crew working on it has to keep it in top condition or else that’s- shit I don’t even know how much money that would cost, in lawsuits, repairs-”

“What if it’s from an outside force?” Ben suggested.

Ezra thought on that. “Maybe?” 

“We should go check it out.”

“Ben!” 

But the blond was already crawling out of their little hole.

“Ben, get back here right now!”

“You’re the one who wanted to go exploring.”

Ezra grumbled something Ben didn’t hear. 

Ben ran out of the room, and down the halls.

He had no idea where he was going, but something in his gut was leading him, and he wasn’t someone to say no to whims.

Let, right, right, left, straight ahead, down some stairs, left again.

Ezra’s footsteps thundered after him, which drove Ben to run faster.

At the moment, he had two goals: find out what happened to the ship, and outrun Ezra.

The chase led him deeper and deeper into the ship, until he came across a room marked ‘engine’. 

Ben slid to a halt, panting heavily. 

Ezra pulled up behind him, wheezing and cursing.

“What.. the fuck-”

Ben held up a hand to silence him.

“It’s in here.”

“What’s in here?” 

Ben didn’t answer. He just opened the door. 

“Ben!” Ezra hissed, hesitantly following.

Large machines Ben couldn’t name whirred away, energy shooting out of them at random intervals.

On each and every machine, Ben noticed small creatures hungrily sucking away.

They had large, round mouths, eyes that popped out of their heads, and large, leathery wings.

“What the hell?” Ben gasped.

“Mynocks.” Ezra growled. “They eat the plasma from spaceships.”

“How did they get in here?”

Ezra pointed to a hole torn in the floor on the other side of the room, blocked by enough parts of the engine to keep them from being sucked in.

“What do we do?” Ben curled his hands into fists and glared at the monsters.

“I’m not sure.” Ezra admitted. “The guards should’ve taken care of it.”

Ben’s eye caught a bloody hand near the door. “They didn’t do a very good job.”

“No shit.” Ezra pulled out his blaster. “Do- do I shoot them? Or would that only make the problem worse?”

“My money’s on worse.” Ben flinched as he found more body parts. “We need to get them out into space, away from the ship.”

“How do we do that?”

_ “Ezra Bridger, where the HELL are you?” _

Sabine’s voice roared from his communicator. 

Ezra held it up to his face. “Sabine! There’s mynocks in the engine room, what do we do?”

Sabine cursed. “Are you sure?”

“We’re looking at them right now!”

“Fuck.” silence on her end for a moment. “Okay. Zeb and I are sneaking a defence pod. You get them outside the ship, and we’ll blast ‘em.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” Ben shrieked.

“Figure it out!” and she hung up.

Ezra tugged at his short hair. “Fuck. Fuck, okay, what do we do?”

Ben eyed the whole the creatures had already made.

“I have a very bad idea.”

Ezra followed his line of sight.

“No. Hell no! They’re stuck to the walls anyways, it would never work!”

Ben flexed his hand.

“... I might have a way.”

Ezra gave him a wild look. “How? How in the hell could you possibly make this work?”

Ben’s whole body went rigid, but he knew he would have to do this.

“Look, I’m not very good at it, and it doesn’t always work, but sometimes…” he took a deep breath. “Sometimes I can move things. With my mind.”

Ezra was dumbstruck. “You can use the Force?”

Ben flinched, but nodded.

“Holy shit.” Ezra whispered. 

Ben focused his gaze on the mynocks. “Do you have a way to make the whole bigger?”

Ezra ran his hands across his orange jacket, and pulled out a small bomb. “Will this do?”

Ben gave it a quick once over. “Yeah. Go put it down, and when I give the allclear, blow it.”

Ezra hesitated, biting his lip.

Ben let his features relax. 

“You’ll be okay. I won’t let them get you.”

Ezra closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. 

“Shut the fuck up Naberrie.” then he charged across the room. 

Ezra skirted around the machines, doing his best to not disturb the creatures. They were focused enough on their meal to not give him any mind, but he still seemed nervous.

Ben caught himself following his every move, and shook his head.

He had to focus.

He closed his eyes, and breathed out slowly.

He’d only ever read a snippet from a book stolen from the palace on how to use the force.

The kids had passed it around, all trying it out.

Only Ben had been able to do anything with it.

This had filled his head with dreams of joining the Jedi order, until news spread of how many had died fighting Palpatine.

He focused on finding his family after that.

But now, now was the time to really use what little he’d learned.

He tried to feel the energy around the room. To feel every crevice, every heartbeat, every little nibble that the mynocks made.

He felt Ezra, too. His heavy breathing, his anxiety driving him to drop the bomb and run.

A light, inside him. One he swore he recognized. If he could just touch it-

“Hey!” Ezra screamed.

Ben opened his eyes.

A mynock had latched onto Ezra’s arm, and Ben’s eyes narrowed in fury.

“No!” he snarled and charged across the room.

Dimly, he realized he was releasing a lot of angry energy that was calling the mynocks attention.

Ben slipped Ezra’s gun out of his pocket and shot the creature until it fell limp onto the floor.

“Are you okay?” he tried to ask Ezra, but the other teen yanked him away.

A mynock soared past his head and smashed into the wall.

Ben’s projection seemed to have pissed off all of them, and they all had their eyes set on the boys.

“Shit.” Ben gasped. “What do we do?”

Ezra’s eyes darted around. 

“I don’t- I don’t know.”

More and more dived for them, grazing their bodies and drawing blood.

Thankfully, Ezra’s communicator beeped.

“Ezra, we’re outside. Whenever you’re ready.”

Ezra dodged another attack.

“Ben? What do we do?”

Ben thought hard for another way out, but he could only think of one.

“We have to jump out of the hole.”

“What?” Ezra shot two down. “Are you crazy?”

Ben slipped his belt off his pants and hooked it around both of their waists. 

“Trust me.” Ben looked into his eyes. “Please. Jump through the hole with me, then set off the bomb.”

Ezra’s eyes trembled, then filled with conviction.

“Okay.” 

Ben held Ezra tight to him, and they jumped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know they already kind of talked about the joking thing last chapter, but i wanted Ben to make it clear to Ezra he'd only ever been joking with him, so there's that. also can you tell i keep forgetting about ch0pper because i keep forgetting about ch0pper


	6. What Do They Teach You in Those Orphanages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> take some fluff uwu

Ezra didn’t like being in space.  
Yes, he had been thrown out of a spaceship before; and with something a bit more dangerous than a reckless teen strapped to him too.  
But, that’s what made this time different.  
This time, it wasn’t just him he had to worry about.  
Not that he personally wasn’t a concern, of course.  
Ice rapidly formed over his eyes, and no matter how many times he blinked it away, it always grew back. Pissed and cold, Ezra slammed his eyes shut.  
He could feel himself spinning, and realized with frustration there was nothing he could do to stop it. So, he let himself hurtle away from the ship as his lungs began to ache.  
One of the most depressing things about space was just the absolute lack of oxygen. If he was being drowned in water, or even sand, well, at least there was something there. But the nothing that clawed at him now, it sent fear up his spine in a way he’d hoped to forget.  
His fingertips began to freeze too, and he cursed himself for his fingerless gloves.  
Well, at least he had sleeves, unlike- Ben!  
Ezra stopped himself from opening his eyes, but grabbed blindly for the other boy.  
The skin he grabbed- it didn’t even feel like skin. It was hard and cold and blistered and where the fuck was Sabine with that ship?  
Ezra pulled Ben flush against him and curled his body around the blonds.  
His head lolled against Ezra’s chest, and his hair tickled Ezra’s nose.  
Ezra clamped his hand over Ben’s mouth, trying to trap any air that was still inside of him.  
When Ben didn’t protest, didn’t even flinch, Ezra knew something was wrong.   
He interlocked their legs, and tried to rub the other teens arms.  
Ben, Ben don’t do this. Please, just stay with me, just hold on- Ezra begged silently and held him closer.  
Ben- His chest slowed little by little. No, NO, LUKE, NO-  
Despite his eyes being closed, Ezra felt like he was drowning in a new layer of darkness.  
Desperately, he tightened his hold, and let unconsciousness wash over him.

When Ezra woke up, he was in a bed.   
It wasn’t a nice bed; the mattress was hard, the sheets scratchy, and the bed frame too small. But, considering he thought he wasn’t going to wake up at all, it wasn’t that bad.  
Groaning, Ezra rubbed his arm, noticing it was bandaged, and that it really fucking hurt.  
He gingerly sat up in the bed, the blanket falling away to reveal his bare chest. Ezra grimace and rubbed it. Wherever he was, it was cold.  
Not as cold as space, he’d admit, but cold enough he would like his shirt, please and thank you.   
He tried to guess how long he’d been out. Judging by how gross his mouth felt and how sluggish his body was, he’d say a while.  
Ezra looked around at the room he was in. It had wooden walls, no decoration, and no door, just an open doorway.   
Huh, not very fancy-  
“Ezra!” a voice called for him from somewhere else in the… house? Healing centre?  
He heard another voice, though he couldn’t make out what it was saying. It was followed by a loud crash, making Ezra flinch.  
“Ezra!” the voice called again, accompanied by pounding footsteps.  
And, well, it certainly wasn’t Zeb calling for him in a high pitched, panicked tone.  
“Ben?” Ezra’s voice was hesitant, but hopefully loud enough. “Ben, are you alright?”  
“Ezra!” Ben was closer now, much closer.  
Faster than Ezra could blink, Ben was charging into his room and slamming into him.  
“Ezra!” he cried. “Are you okay?”  
Ezra rushed to support the boy’s delicate frame, noting he was shirtless as well.  
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”  
“Oh, okay.” Ben smiled. “Good.”  
“Yeah, but what about-” before Ezra could finish his sentence, Ben collapsed into his arms. “Ben. Ben?” He gave him a shake, but he was sound asleep. “Of course.”  
Sabine came in the door, hand rubbing her arm, panting heavily. She had removed the top part of her armour, and was now dressed only in the undersuit and boots.  
“Damn, he’s a lot stronger than he looks.” she grumbled, slightly breathless. If Ezra were to guess, he’d say Sabine had run after the flighty blond.  
“What happened?” Ezra asked as he pulled Ben onto the bed. There really wasn’t enough space for two people, so, with a slight blush, Ezra pulled Ben further on top of him.  
“I dunno. He woke up screaming your name, tried to break my arm when I went to calm him down, and then started running.”  
Ezra looked at the boy in his arms and sighed. “Dumbass.”  
“No shit.” Sabine leaned against the wall across from him, beside the door. “What happened? What the hell were you two doing floating outside the ship?”  
Ezra didn’t look up, focusing his gaze on the soft strands of hair splayed on his chest. “It was his noble shithead’s idea. He was gonna just use the Force to knock them all out the hole they came in after I made it bigger, but then he had a royal meltdown when I got hurt. You should have seen it, Sabine. The way he ran across the room-” Ezra shivered at the memory.  
Ezra crouched down to place the bomb. He was in no way excited to be that close to the hole, but he didn’t buy magnet-boots for nothing. He knew himself well enough to come prepared.  
Then- out of the opening, a straggler shot through and snapped at his face.  
He blocked it with his arm and howled as he stood up and backed away.  
That’s when it happened.  
What had been a light tingle at the back of his mind became a roar as Ben shouted his name and ran for him.  
The energy that came off him- it was so powerful. So, so angry. Ezra was in awe of it.  
It was- it was-  
“Ezra? Hello?” Sabine waved to get his attention.  
“Sorry.” Ezra mumbled, mind whirring.  
“Whatcha thinking?”  
Ezra hesitated.   
“Sabine,” he began. “Sabine, that power, it-” it was fueled by more than care for a stranger. It was intimate. But, but that’s impossible.  
Right?   
They’d only known each other for a few days.  
Unless...  
“What?” Sabine tilted her head.  
Ezra closed his eyes and shook his head. “Nothing, nevermind. I’ve just- never seen the Force in action before.”  
Sabine nodded knowingly. “It’s scary. When I first saw Kanan use it, I was terrified. It’s kind of cool, actually, having a Force user on our side. Will probably help convince Leia too.”  
Ezra swallowed. “Yeah. Probably.”   
Sabine swung her hands together in an exaggerated clap. “I’m gonna go see Zeb. Want me to take him back?”  
Ezra’s hold discreetly tightened around Ben.   
“No, I’m okay. I’ll take him back on my own.”  
“Okay.” Sabine gave him one last look from the doorway. “I’m glad you’re okay, Ezra.”  
Ezra smiled. “Me too.”  
She left, and he returned his attention to Ben.  
He was breathing softly; the warm air puffing against Ezra’s skin.  
“You better be just some random kid…” Ezra murmured, brushing one of many stray strands of hair away from the others face.  
Ben nuzzled into him in response, and Ezra had to forcefully swallow a screech of surprise.   
Hesitantly, Ezra raised a hand to Ben’s head. He lowered it into his hair, and sucked in a breath when Ben sighed and relaxed further.  
He let his fingers run through tangled stands, combing them and then letting them fall again.  
It was… relaxing. It felt nice.  
He wondered if Ben would ever let him do it when he was awake.  
If Ezra would ever want to.  
Ben shifted, moving up to feel more, when his chest brushed against Ezra’s.  
Sure, it had been touching him the whole time, but only now did he pay attention.  
Because now, he felt something unnatural on Ben’s chest.  
Something thick and heavy sat in Ezra’s throat, and he stopped playing with his hair.  
“Ben,” he grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “Ben!”   
The blond blinked sleepily, and peeled himself off of Ezra.  
“Shit, my head hurts.” he rubbed his eyes through his bangs. “What happened?”  
But Ezra wasn’t paying attention.  
Because on Ben’s chest was a scar.  
A scar from a laser gun.  
From shoulder to shoulder, it dipped into his otherwise smooth skin, carving a mark in just the spot that would cause a necklace to burn off.   
Ben followed his gaze and hummed, not noticing the panic welling up in the blue haired boy.  
“Oh, that? I got it when I tried to run away when the orphanage first took me in. Security droids do their job well, huh?”  
Ezra let out a breath. He wasn’t sure if it was one of disappointment, or relief.  
“Course, I don’t remember them doing it. That’s just what the old bitch running the place told me. My memory of that time is absolute shit.”  
And there it was again. The maybe. The what if.  
Ezra tried to shake himself free of the thoughts.  
It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.  
None of it matters.  
Just stick to the plan. Easy.   
And yet, that thought left him feeling hollow.  
“So, what happened? When we went into space?” Ben looked around. “And why are we in bed together?”  
Ezra’s face flushed hot at his wording. “Ben! You threw yourself at me!”  
Ben squinted at him. “That doesn’t sound like me.”  
“Well, you did!” Ezra fought the urge to pull the blanket over himself. “You woke up, screamed my name, and ran for me!”  
Ben stared at him for a second. “I… don’t believe you.”  
“It’s the truth!” Ezra roared with embarrassment and kicked Ben off the bed, the other wheezing with laughter. “Fuck you, anyways! Your dumb plan almost got us killed!”  
Ben sobered at that, eyes tracing Ezra’s body. Ezra looked down self consciously, and noticed his fingers were wrapped in bandages. Reaching a hand up, he felt some on his cheeks, too.  
Damn, he was really unobservant.  
Ben’s hands closed into tight fists, and he hid his face. “I’m sorry.”  
“Hey, no, it’s okay.” Ezra leaned forward, hands fluttering about aimlessly. “You got us out of there, right? Maybe it wasn’t ideal, but we’re okay. We’re both okay.”   
Ben trembled, and Ezra noted that almost all of the skin on his arms were bandaged.  
“Well, I’m mostly okay. You got fucked up.”  
Ben absently rubbed his arm. “It’s okay, I knew something like this would happen.”  
Ezra frowned. “Well, that makes it even greater bullshit. Next time we’re in a town, I’m buying you a jacket.”  
Ben tilted his head. A smile took over his features, chasing the hints of sadness away. “Maybe I’ll just steal yours.”  
“Like hell you will!” Ezra snapped, feeling himself grin.  
“I dunno, I think I’d look good in orange~” Ben winked.  
Ezra let out a strange, garbled sound, and threw his shitty pillow at Ben. He dodged it, and dashed out of the room.  
“Don’t you dare touch it with your nasty dumbass hands!” Ezra chased after him.  
Satisfied to be distracted for now, Ezra shunned his thoughts.  
Ben wasn’t Luke. Ben had stayed at an orphanage a walks distance from Theed. If he was, the Emperor’s men would have found him.  
He was just- a cool, considerate guy who cared a shit ton about people he didn’t know.  
And, and Ezra liked that. Ezra liked who Ben was.  
Which made the con so much harder.  
But, as Ben scaled Zeb like a tree, and they teamed up against him, Ezra buried the conflict in his heart deep inside himself.  
Later. He’d think about it later.  
Now was just about having fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dmitri in the movie: only realizes who Anya is at the last second  
> Ezra here: that blond bitch better be a fake


	7. Filler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yeah it's. it's filler. I'm sorry. First time I've had internet and my computer in how many days? weeks? and I am too tired to write actual genuine content. so.... here's some word vomit

“Holy shit!” Ben’s eyes glittered, and his grin stretched from ear to ear.

Ezra groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Shut up, it’s cool!” Ben waved him off, focused on the shiny droid in front of him. “It’s an R-4, I’m allowed to be impressed!”

“They’re up to the R-6, you are _ so _ not allowed to be impressed.” Ezra knocked on it’s silver head with disdain. 

Ben wrinkled his nose and pouted. “Why can’t you let me have this? I’ve never seen any generation of this line before.”

Sabine turned from the booth she was looking at and whacked him on the head. “Aren’t we taking you to Alderaan as Young Naberrie? You’ve seen an R-2.”

Ben flushed, rubbing his head to relieve the burning feeling. He really wished Sabine would stop hitting him.

It was also weird to hear people calling him ‘Young Naberrie’. Sure, that  _ was _ why he was doing all of this, but. The idea of his family being… the Naberries? It was too weird. Way too weird.

Then again, the idea did send a happy little thrill through him. Everyone at the orphanage heard stories of Anakin Skywalker’s heroics; how cool he was, how many battles he won. Ben had always wanted to be like him.

Now, he might, you know. Actually kind of be like him.

Which was really cool. 

Ezra huffed and leaned against Ben’s side before quickly pulling away.

“Well, you still have no right to think this is cool. It’s just some dinky robot.” his cheeks went dark with embarrassment. “And you really need to get better at remembering you’re royalty.”

“Nobility.” Ben corrected, letting his pinky interlock with Ezra’s. “And yeah, I probably need to make an effort to actually, you know, live up to my heritage.”

Ezra coughed into his elbow, ears dark now too. 

“No kidding, the way you act it’s obvious you’re poor as shit.”

“Asshole.” Ben gave him a very serious frown.

Panic flickered in Ezra’s eyes, then he relaxed. “You call  _ me  _ an asshole, and then pull that? I can’t believe this.”

Sabine pretended to gag, and the boys pulled away. 

“Shut the fuck up.” Ezra growled.

“What’s this about Ezra being a fuck up?” Zeb asked cheerfully, ruffling his hair.

Ezra scowled fiercely. “Fucker.” 

Ben snickered, then gasped sharply when Sabine grabbed his face.

“This pretty face won’t get you anywhere if you can’t act the part.”

“H-hey!” 

Ezra snapped to attention and wrenched Sabine’s hand away.

“ _ Don’t, _ ” he growled, and Ben flinched at the intensity.

Well, flinched and hid a smile. 

It was nice, being looked out for. 

Sabine gave them a look, then shrugged. “He needs to know at least some things about being nobility. They have a test you have to take before you can even meet Leia, and you, sir, are passing it. So, what do you know?”

Ben rubbed his chin and squinted. “Uh… Amidala used to be queen? And then she became a senator. And then… she was a senator?”

Sabine slapped her forehead. “Useless.”

“We’ll just have to teach you, then.” Ezra paused. “What do we know about them?”

“Ugh, are you shitting me?” Sabine snapped. “You should know all about them!”

Ben furrowed his brow. “Why? Because he worked in the kitchens? That doesn’t mean he got a rundown on their history.”

Shock flickered in Sabine’s eyes, and she shot Ezra a look Ben couldn’t dissect. 

“What? What is it?”

Sabine shook her head. “Nothing, it’s nothing. Zeb, you got some hours to kill?”

The lasat rumbled his reluctance, but nodded. “Yeah. I guess I can run stuff by the kid.”

“Great.” Sabine clapped her hands. “Then Ezra and I can do some shopping around here for supplies.”

“Okay.” Ben smiled at Ezra. “See you later.” 

He smiled back, and waved Ben away. “If you’re not filled with nobility knowledge by the time I see you again, don’t bother coming back.”

Ben scoffed, and followed Zeb through the crowd.

“Where are we going?” he struggled to match the taller man’s stride.

“Some place more private. On one hand we’re lucky this moon has so many damn people, but on the other, I don’t want people catching wind of our intentions and stealing you away.”

Ben shuddered and moved closer to him. “You really think people might try and kidnap me?”

Zeb jerked a shoulder. “Always a possibility. If not for your heritage, than for you pretty face. Don’t exactly see a lot of good looking fellows around here, do you?”

Ben fiddled with his necklace, eyes darting every which way. “You better not let them get me, Zeb. I will cry and I will cry in a very ugly manner.”

Zeb grunted. “Gotta say, that’s a lot more convincing than if you had said you were gonna beat me up.”

Ben let a small smirk appear. “I’ve learned a thing or two from having a shit ton of kids trying to mess with me.”

Zeb softened, and slowed. “Growing up in a place like that must have been awful.”

“Meh.” Ben flipped his hand back and forth. “Hell of a lot better than growing up on the streets. Besides, there were some real nice kids in there. They made it bearable.” 

“I had two siblings growing up.” fondness twinkled in Zeb’s eyes. “They were damn rowdy, and louder than a pissed off Hut. But, they never told on me, and always helped me get in and out of all kinds of shit.”

“They sound nice.” Ben smiled. “Where are they now?”

Zeb’s demeanor darkened, and he sped up again. “Nevermind that. Come on, I think I see someplace we can go.”

The world they landed on was covered in tall, skinny trees. The temperature was never comfortable, but then again, it never was that uncomfortable either. It was cold right now, being far from the sun at this point in time, but the trees were still green and bright light filtered through the plentiful leaves.

Zeb stopped beside a small stream, stones scattered along the bank, and no other living thing in sight.

Ben plopped down on a round boulder, and stretched himself across the surface.

“So, what now?”

“Now,” Zeb dropped into a bush that surprisingly propped him up. “We stuff you full of knowledge.”

Back in the market, Ezra was getting an earful behind a vendor that sold small, sour fruits.

“I can’t fucking believe this.” Sabine raved, nose to nose with Ezra. “You worked in the palace? And not once, in all these years, did you think that was something we should know?”

Ezra didn’t say anything. Just gazed coldly down on Sabine, a few inches shorter than him since his last growth spurt.

“How do you think Kanan, or Hera would feel? Knowing you kept something this big from us?”

Ezra’s eye twitched.

“It’s not like there isn’t stuff in their past they haven’t told us.”

“Yes, but it’s never been relevant to the mission before!” Sabine stamped her foot. “Dammit, Ezra, why the hell did you keep this from us?”

Ezra inhaled sharply, and ground his teeth.

“Huh? Why. Why the fuck did your tiny brain think it was okay to do this?” Sabine jabbed her finger into his chest. “Huh? Hu-”

Ezra grabbed her wrist and pulled her close.

“Because I fucking loved him.” he hissed, gaze piercing.

Sabine faltered, confused. “What?”

Ezra’s grip tightened. “Luke. I loved him. He was my best fucking friend, the first person to show me any fucking respect.” he spat out the words like they were acid on his tongue. “We did everything together. He always looked out for me. Always made sure I was eating, sleeping. Being treated right. And then he fucking  _ died,  _ when we were both just kids.”

Sabine winced away from him. “Ezra, I-”

“And now, there’s a boy who looks _just fucking like him,_ who’s past is just vague enough, who has just the right amount of maybes going for him, that I keep thinking that maybe, just _maybe,_ it is him. But it’s not. Luke is dead, and now I’m dragging Ben along, like some poor schmuck, for my own needs.”

His eyes were stinging, and his head hurt. 

Sabine whimpered quietly, and Ezra let her go. He turned his back to her, and rubbed his face.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t- I shouldn’t have snapped. This is just- it’s personal, and I wasn’t comfortable with everyone knowing just how much it meant to me.”

“I’m sorry.” Sabine’s voice wavered slightly, and he sighed.

He turned back and pulled her into a hug. “It’s whatever.”

“Mhm, totally.”

Ezra hugged her extra tight, then pulled away. 

“We should probably make sure Ben hasn’t been eaten by some wild beast or something.”

Sabine nodded. “If he was eaten, it was probably by Zeb.”

Ezra chuckled. “Stars, I hope not. That would be traumatizing.” 

“Right? Imagine eating some blond skinny twig, and hearing that annoying death shriek forever. It would be awful.”

“Truly.” Ezra let his shoulders relax. “Hey, Sabine?”

“What?”

“Please don’t tell anyone, okay? Especially Ben.”

Sabine smiled, and pulled her fingers across her lips. “My lips are sealed.”

“Cool.” he shoved his hands inside his pockets and followed her out into the open. “Uh, where are they?”

Sabine looked to the left, then to the right.

“Shit.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aren't we all living for Ezra being big stronk boi defending smaller stronk boi? isn't this living?


	8. Guess Who's Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> back again  
> Shady's back  
> tell a friend
> 
> Guess who's a goddamn lOSER sksk anyways I found this chapter I wrote before I uh, stopped. So take this, while I work on a new chapter! we're honestly so close to being done I gotta commit, right?

Ben was actually quite happy in his tree. 

Yes, he was very content dangling from a worryingly small branch, 20 feet above the ground. 

He didn’t see the issue, to be honest.

Ezra really didn’t have to scream at him like that. 

“ _ YOU DUMBASS MOTHERFUCKER!”  _ the angry blue man roared. “ _ HOW IN THE  _ **_HELL_ ** _ DID YOU GET UP THERE?!” _ _   
_ Ben took a minute to swing his legs around the trunk before responding. 

“Well, Zeb said force users could super jump. And I kept trying, and it wasn’t working and- one sec.” 

Ben tried to blow an annoying strand of hair out of his eyes, but it came right back. Frowning, he blew again. Still there. 

Blow. 

Still there. 

Blow. 

Still the-

“GET TO THE FUCKING POINT.”

“Oh, yeah.” Ben shook his head, only serving to make more hair fall in his face. “Blast. Well, Zeb thought it would be hilarious if he threw me, you know, to pretend I’d done it, and, well,” Ben chuckled. “He has a mean throwing arm.”

Despite how high up he was, he was sure he could feel the heat of Ezra’s anger boiling up towards him. 

He then, thankfully, began to scream at Zeb, leaving Ben to think about how he was going to get out of the tree. 

He couldn’t exactly climb down, now could he? The tree’s bark was too smooth, he was barely holding on as it was.

Ask Zeb to get him?

No, he’d be too heavy.

What to do, then?

A brilliant idea sparked in his mind, and he mentally patted himself on the back. 

He could be so  _ smart  _ sometimes. 

Grinning, he let go of the tree. 

Sabine was the only one who saw him. She sputtered outraged nonsense and activated her jetpack. 

He slammed into her outstretched arms, hurting his back something awful, and making Sabine tilt off balance. 

Thankfully, she was skilled in her jetpack using and got them to the ground easily. 

Well, not easily, she sort of crashed onto her knees, but that was fine too. 

He tumbled out of her arms, getting his new white shirt all dirty.

Sabine was panting, hands splayed palm up on her legs.

“You…  _ moron _ ,” she wheezed.

He gave her a dazzling smile. “I’m back on the ground, aren’t I?”

“Only because  _ I _ -”

And then he was being tackled. 

_ That  _ got his heartbeat racing and his instincts kicking into action.

He punched his attacker in the face while kneeing him in the stomach. He rolled away, and sprung up into a crouch, fists poised.

His defensive position fell when he saw who it was.

Ezra braced himself against the ground, coughing and holding his stomach. Blood oozed out of his nose, and he wiped it clumsily. 

“Holy shit!” Ben exclaimed, crawling over. “I’m so sorry!”

Ezra only laughed. 

“Damn, heads up to anyone trying to sneak up on you.” he smiled, teeth starting to stain red from the steady pour of blood.

Ben cringed. “I really am sorry.”

His hands hovered over Ezra, wanting to help, but scared to touch.

Ezra waved him off, sitting up, still holding his stomach. “It’s fine, I should have known that would happen. I’m just-” his eyes went soft. “Glad you’re out of that fucking tree.”

Ben shrugged, still tense with concern. “I’m not scared of heights. I knew someone would catch me.”

Ezra glared at him. “That reminds me.  _ Falling? That  _ was your answer?”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Ben shifted his weight, smiling cheekily over his right shoulder. 

“Asshole,” Ezra growled, getting up.

“Is anyone going to do anything about the broken nose?” Sabine cut in. “Or, are we just gonna ignore it?”

“It’s not broken.” Ezra rolled his eyes. “Just- bleeding.”

She huffed disbelievingly, but let it go. “Whatever. Just tell me you two got at least  _ some  _ information in that empty little head.”

“Yep!” Ben grinned cheerfully, also standing up. “I learned about the elected monarchy of Naboo, the queens who reigned after Amidala, what parts the Jedi played in keeping the peace, and specifics about the family. Like, what senators and other leaders they were close with, where they stayed, and about 3P0 and R-2. 3P0 was a prestigious ass, and R-2 was a regular-ass, but he knew some funny swears.”

Sabine opened her mouth to praise him when Ezra sneezed up a giant blood bubble. 

This sent Ben into a panic, and they walked away a bit to argue about whether Ezra was actually fine or not. 

Sabine made to follow, but Zeb held her back. 

“I didn’t say anything about the robot’s,” he informed her quietly. “And when we were talking about Amidala, he said something about her favourite colour being yellow.”

Sabine furrowed her brow. “What does this mean?”

Zeb shrugged. “I’m not sure. But- it’s something to consider.”

Sabine nodded, and let her eyes fall upon where the boys were bumbling up ahead. 

Ben was in the middle of a laugh, while Ezra yelled at him. 

Sabine bit her lip. She had no idea where this mission was going anymore. 

She just hoped it didn’t end with Ezra getting hurt. 

“Come on,” she sighed. “Let’s make sure they don’t die before we even get to Alderaan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben: gives him a bloody nose  
> Ezra: heart eyes


End file.
